Developing healthy habits in and out of the gym is the core secret to success. This leads to consistency, which inevitably will transform your body for the better. Developing these habits is much easier said than done however. Keeping strong habits out of the gym can be very difficult because of various reasons like friends, time, and work, just to name a few.

It is important to know there are ways to overcome these invisible barriers. The development of strong habits daily is the best way to go about it. Before even creating these habits focus on your goals, focus on exactly what you want out of your fitness journey. This will ultimately guide you and give you that extra bit of motivation. Constantly remind yourself of these goals, like I tell my clients, always remember to remember. Goals drive us and keep us going. Remind yourself everyday of why you are doing something. Before you know it, you will have developed a championship mindset because of this mentality.

A championship mindset is just one way to developing strong habits. Here are the 15 habits of healthy eaters and fitness enthusiasts that you need to know, enjoy!

15 They do not over eat

It’s quite simple, dieters do not over eat. Whether it’s consuming more meals a day or properly structuring their meals, dieters tend to feel perfect following each meal they consume. Overeating is simply a habit they tend to stay away from.

There are many ways you can follow this habit, one of them is by simply calculating your macronutrient needs per day. This depends on your weight, goals, and activity levels. The equation to finding your caloric needs involves multiplying your body weight by a multiplier which dictates how active you are and what your goal is. So, for a moderately active woman that weighs 140 pounds and is looking to lose weight, their multiplier would be between 12-14. This would mean that their desired caloric intake would be between 1,680 and 1,960 per day. If you are a very active woman, then you would use 14 and 16 as your multiplier. Once you find your caloric intake per day, the next step would be to divide your foods by carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Carbs and protein count for 4 calories per gram, while fats count for 9 calories per gram. The recommended split when you are trying to lose weight is 25% carbohydrates, 35% protein and 40% fats.

14 They understand their strengths and weaknesses

Fitness enthusiasts aren’t afraid to exploit their weaknesses, it’s that simple. If you have a weak body part, like your upper body for example, go after it, train it and improve on it every day as opposed to putting it aside. Weaknesses are meant to be exploited and improved upon. Now this doesn’t mean you should neglect your strengths, maintaining your strengths and improving on them is also key, but always be aware that your weaknesses also need some work. This is something fitness enthusiast make a habit of, they are not afraid to work on their weak points, it instead excites them. Look at your weaknesses as a fun challenge to improve on, make it something you’ll ultimately be very proud of, I can guaranteed it’ll be worth it.

13 They have structure to their workouts

As opposed to being all over the place, fitness enthusiasts make it a habit to plan and structure their workouts according to what their goals are. Doing so includes proper break times, rep counts, sets, and exercises. For example, if you’re looking to lose weight, structure you workout with short rest periods (60-75 seconds) while aiming for 12-20 reps per set. Now if you’re looking to add some thickness and strength go for longer rest periods (120-180 seconds), while going for 6-10 reps. Make sure that your workout structure is not contradicting your goals.

12 They do metabolism boosting exercises

If you’re looking to burn quickly and activate your metabolism, certain exercises can speed up the process. This is something that fitness enthusiasts make a habit of when choosing what exercise to perform. If you’re focusing on legs and glutes, the squat is one of the best metabolism boosting exercises out there. The squat leg press is another great machine that can also be used as a metabolism booster.

Other exercises can also help drive up your metabolism, the bench press is a great exercise that can not only help to strengthen your upper body, but can also allow you to burn a whole lot. For back, deadlifts are one of the best metabolism boosting exercises. It’s all about finding out what makes you burn more, shape your workouts according to this factor.

For more metabolism boosting exercises click this link.

11 They eat metabolism boosting foods

Fitness enthusiasts are able to process their foods much quicker than the average human being. How? Well eating metabolism boosting foods is an easy way to do so. Just by having a glass or capsule of green tea following your dinner can speed up your metabolism. Doing so will allow your body the chance to process foods quickly leaving you with a flat stomach as opposed to a bloated one. For more interesting ways to boosting your metabolism click this link to my previous article discussing more on this topic.

10 They don’t eat processed foods

Dieters are very picky when it comes to selecting foods. Just because it says “healthy” on the box doesn’t mean it’s good for you. As a matter of fact, it normally means it isn’t. Consumers use this as a tactic to entice their clients. These foods tend to be processed foods that are high in sodium and low in fiber. This causes you to feel bloated following a meal. Processed foods also contain added chemicals for flavoring. You simply never know what you’re going to get with processed foods.

Sticking to fresh foods is the best and most efficient way to go. Eating organic foods is also a great alternative. Make these kinds of foods a habit, stay away from the processed route.

9 They stay hydrated

Staying hydrated is essential when it comes to performance and weight loss. For the performance aspect, staying hydrated helps keep your performance up. When you’re training, water is being lost in your body. It is key for you to replenish it as quickly as possible. If you fail to do so, performance will decrease, leading you to a poor workout.

Outside of the gym, water is also very crucial. Water is essential to carrying out your nutrients, aiding in your post or pre workout digestion. Without water, food can get stuck, leading to indigestion, feeling bloated, and a slowed down metabolism. Water is a huge metabolism booster, do not neglect it.

Ideally, it is estimated we intake 30-40 ml per kilogram of bodyweight. So if you weigh 50 kg (110lb), ideally you’re looking at 1.5-2 L a day. Keep in mind around 1 L of water comes from food, so in all you’re looking at 3L of water a day. Use the calculation above to find out how much water you need according to your weight.

8 They are focused

Staying focused is one of the most underrated factors in the world of fitness today. A strong habit of a fitness enthusiast is their level of focus each and every day in and out of the gym. Without focus, your goals will be flawed and you’ll eventually lose sight of them. Constantly remind yourself why you are training. Leave yourself some reminders each and every day, this will help your focus a whole lot. Developing a strong focus for what you want will drive you towards whatever goal you have in mind. Set yourself a goal, drive towards it, and focus. Always remember to remember this goal!

7 They are willing to offer a helping hand

Most fitness enthusiasts are always willing to offer some help. This can be a great way for you to gain some extra knowledge by picking someone else’s brain for advice. I personally have been in the fitness industry for 6 years and I still love to get different perspectives on fitness related topics. Take advantage of all the people and resources you have, it can kick start your fitness goal in a hurry. Ask questions, be proactive, maybe one day you’ll be the person giving someone else advice.

6 They are highly motivated

Finding motivation is very easy when you’re really into something. For fitness enthusiasts, motivation comes from everywhere, but it should all start with your goals. Shoot for the stars, be unrealistic, goals are meant to excite you not to create boundaries or invisible barriers. Motivation can also come from a variety of other places. Social media and YouTube are great sources of motivation. Music is also highly motivating. Find your motivation, do what excites you!

5 They properly time their food

The timing of your nutritional intake is extremely important. Nutritional timing is based on the idea that nutrients are handled differently during different parts of the day. Carbohydrate intake is generally tolerated right after exercise. Low amounts during the day can be tolerated, but ideally carbohydrate intake should happen right after your workout. For the rest of the day, low carbohydrates, increased veggies, moderate fats, and a protein dense intake should be the ideal way to go if you are trying to drop some pounds.

4 They have a quality night rest

Not having a good night rest can set your entire day back. Losing sleep can simply drain your metabolism causing you to burn at a much slower pace. Food processing also becomes much more strenuous on the body, trying to digest carbohydrates becomes increasingly difficult when your body is exhausted, this lowers the energy production in your body throughout the course of the day. Make sure to get a good night’s rest, making this a habit will make you feel that much better every day.

3 They reward themselves

Rewarding yourself is a necessary habit to enforce once you are accomplishing your fitness goals. Be proud of your work ethic in and out of the gym, reward yourself by taking a week vacation or incorporating a cheat meal in your routine once a week because of all your hard workout throughout the week. Rewards are necessary and give you a purpose to succeed. Without having any type of reward you will simply burn out and be miserable. Create rewards and accept those rewards when you deserve them!

2 They have goals

I can’t stress the importance of this enough, goal setting is everything. Every client I get, the first thing I try to absorb is what exactly their goals are. A goal can be quite simple, from dropping 5 pounds in a month, to just want to exercise a minimum of 3 days a week. Goals create structure and can help you more than you think.

Without a goal and a lack of purpose, your fitness days are numbered. Having a direct plan can help figure out what you want to be and exactly how to get there, leaving you extremely motivated knowing you’re on the right path. Setting a goal is the most important tool in terms of motivation and longevity in fitness.

1 They have a strong work ethic in and out of the gym

This is the strongest habit of any healthy dieter and fitness enthusiast, their drive and work ethic is as strong in the gym than it is out of the gym. Training hard in the gym is the easy part, staying consistent out of it is where it gets to be difficult. Following a proper diet plan out of the gym while remaining active is key. Activity entails you to being active and not sitting around all day. Also educating yourself further is quite useful, this can help expand your repertoire and knowledge, leading you to an even better body. Keep it strong in and out of the gym, and most importantly, develop a pattern of consistency that works for you!

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